Only for a Moment
by WistfulGallifreyan
Summary: The Doctor shares one last kiss with Rose. Written for the weekly (7/7/13) prompt at the permissiontofollowup tumblr. Prompt Two - The Song kissing You by Des'ree


When they were close enough to each other, Rose launched herself into his arms, wrapping hers around his neck. "Oh my god," she whispered as she buried her face in his shoulder."Please be real."

The Doctor wrapped his arms around her and buried his face into her hair, kissing the top of her head, he pulled her as close as he could. Here she was, his pink and yellow human. Tears welled in his eyes before he could suppress them. He was so convinced he would never again see her. "It's me, I'm real. You're real" He reassured her as much as he reassured himself. After several minutes of standing there the snow thickening around them in the night, he separated enough to look at her and a full smile broke over his features. "I've missed you so much, Rose Tyler." he told her as he stared into her dark eyes. At this she looked at him, the familiar pinstripes and spiky hair, and he felt like she was home. He saw the weariness in her eyes leave and her tongue between her teeth smile spread over her face.

He had missed that so much. He felt his hearts racing as she rested her soft cold hands on his face, over a thousand years and still this one human could so dramatically influence him. His hearts ached with love for her, and his dimples deepened as he smiled again. He glanced at her lips before finding her eyes. He could see the whole of the universe in those eyes, such was her beauty and compassion, and he found himself closing the distance between them.

Within moments their lips had found each others. The sensation was enthralling, breathtaking, and beautiful, and they both became lost in it. The Doctor felt her fingers entangle in his hair. It felt like they had been apart for a lifetime, but that canyon of time was closed with their kiss.

At first he was tentative, gentle. He closed his eyes for only a few seconds, trying to remember every detail before starting to pull away. When she reciprocated, he kissed her more deeply, passionately, wanting it to go on forever. One hand found her waist pulling her toward him the other rested on the back of her shoulder. When they finally stopped, the Doctor's cheeks were flush and he was content. He opened his eyes slowly and looked down at her again, separating only enough to see her properly. He could see now that his love for her was reflected clearly in her eyes, which were as bright, and alive, and as beautiful as ever. Happiness flooded him, and he felt carried away by the euphoria that now enveloped them.

"Promise you won't leave?" she asked looking up at him with affection and admiration, her hands dropping from his shoulders. She sought his hands and interlaced her fingers with his.

The Doctor held her just looking at her for several moments, before he could bring himself to find words and reply. He didn't realize how badly he had wanted to kiss her until it was done. She was unlike anyone he had ever encountered. Perfect and his, and he promised himself to never lose her again. He closed his eyes to compose his assurance that he would be by her side forever.

He opened his eyes and she was gone. He ran his hands over a face she had never seen, fingers going through his now floppy hair, and looked around the ship. His hearts sinking into his stomach as he climbed to his feet and opened the door to look into the vortex. He was disorientated by the dream, and felt the euphoria melting away to be replaced by a cold wave of anguish. He loved her so much it nearly hurt and for a moment he couldn't breathe as he remembered she was gone.

The Doctor sat there his back resting against the doorframe, watching the the amaranthine, iridescent vortex pass by. The heaviness of her loss settled over his hearts, he had lost so many people and she still haunted him. He stared into the unfathomable blackness of the cosmos and became absorbed in his thoughts. For a few moments he felt emptier than space itself, the hollow burning seemed to fill up all the space in his lungs.

The dream had felt so real and he felt tears well up in his eyes and let them fall into his lap. She had felt so real. He hoped she was happy with the metacrisis, hoped she had lived a full and satisfying life.

After a long time he got to his feet, and wandered down a corridor to a door. He entered and ran his fingertips over the bed frame. He had kept it the same, a quiet place to go and be alone with his memories. On the dresser was a vase of flowers, a vase of roses- she had laughed and rolled her eyes the day he got them for her, but kept them all the same. He freshened the flowers, pulling free a few dead leaves and adding water to the vase. When he was finished he stood in the doorway looking at the room, at the pictures of them laughing on the dresser, a forgotten brochure from an alien planet, a few spare coins, and a pile of folded clothes at the foot of her bed...It was all as if she'd walk back in to resume her life with him at any moment. He took a deep breath, flipped the light off, and closed the door.

He thought of all he had done since he left her, he thought of Amy and Rory asleep in their room and of all the adventures left to have. He thought of the way he saw the things now and that hope and faith in the power of good that he had now. He was different- better-for having met her, in more ways than one, she saved him. Once again he felt his love for her alight in his hearts and mind, and a gentle smile made it's way to his lips.

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_A/N- Special thanks to noblestardis and my coauthor over at thegingergallifreyan for beta reading this fic for me and to Fox for creating permissiontofollowup and posting the prompt that inspired this scene. Hope you all enjoy it, as always please let me know what you think! _


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